Unicast data transmission involves data sent to a single destination using a single destination address. Multicast data transmission relates to the delivery of a packet, a message, or other information from a single source to a group of destination computers. Network devices define optimal distribution paths for data sent to multicast destination addresses.
A network device may include an internal interconnect that provides multiple paths through the network device. A mixture of unicast data transmission and multicast data transmission may result in asymmetries within the multiple paths through the network device. The asymmetries may become persistent imbalances in utilization of the paths or large differences in latencies among paths. Current feedback systems within a fabric do not adequately balance the paths for unicast transmissions.